The opening moments of the fourth quarter are disastrous – what with Chris Kaman spinning into a double-team when he has Chris Mihm one-on-one; and Richie Frahm gullibly biting on a Sasha Vujacic ball fake; and four Clippers crowding into one quadrant of the halfcourt on an offensive set; and – this is the worst – doubling Jordan Farmar on a high S/R with Vlad Radmanovic and Vujacic just beside him on the arc and only one Clipper to cover both.

But prior to this monstrosity, Corey Maggette nearly matches Randy Smith's franchise record of 23 points in a quarter.Corey finishes the third period with 21, single-handedly keeping the Clippers in the game.

Here's how his quarter proceeds:

[10:17] Off a steal by Brevin Knight, the Clippers [try to] run a 3-on-2 break.Knight has Ross, well-covered by Kobe Bryant, on the left wing with Maggette trailing.Knight shuttles the ball to Maggette.Corey awkwardly slams on the breaks when he meets a stationary Derek Fisher.This effectively ends the break.From about 14 feet, Corey spins left and draws contact.

The Clippers continue to run one of the ugliest fast breaks in basketball and have for several seasons now.

Corey hits both FTAs.

[0-0] FG, [2-2 FT], 2 PTS

[8:41]Corey starts this set on the weak side over in the right corner. The ball works its way up top to Paul Davis.Kaman moves low to set a little brush screen on Lamar Odom.Corey pops up to the right elbow where he receives the ball from Davis.Odom recovers, but falls for Corey's ball fake.You know the drill.

Corey hits both FTAs.

[0-0] FG, [4-4] FT, 4 PTS

[6:54]On a previous possession, Corey misses when he pulls up at the line on a dribble-drive.

Here, the Clips are in transition.Corey sets up all alone on the left arc.Knight quickly darts it over to Corey, who sinks the 3PA.

Corey is hitting about 35% of his 3PAs this season [17-48].All of last season, he went [13-65] from beyond for a 20% clip.

[1-2] FG, [1-1] 3PA, [4-4] FT, 7 PTS

[4:09]On a previous possession, Corey misses awfully after splitting a couple of defenders on a halfcourt drive.It appears as if he thought Andrew Bynum was going to step out to challenge him – in which case, Corey would've drawn contact – but Bynum elects to defend the rim and Corey sort of awkwardly heaves it up there.On the next possession, Corey loses it out along the arc to Luke Walton.

But on this set, Corey pops out to the arc as Knight kicks it over to him.Kaman sets a solid screen on Odom, allowing Corey to dribble right – along the sideline.Bynum tries to pick him up, but Corey has a head of steam and the big kid is never really able to recover on the switch.Corey forcefully lays it in.

[2-4] FG, [1-1] 3PA, [4-4] FT, 9 PTS

[3:47]The Clippers have another 3-on-2 break.Maggette races across halfcourt with the rock; Thornton is out on the left wing, with Ross trailing.Corey kicks it ahead to Thornton.Luke Walton picks up the rookie, which leaves Corey alone barreling down the middle of the lane.Thornton wisely gets it back to Corey, who is assaulted by Farmar – but it's not malicious.Good hard foul, though Farmar never makes a sincere attempt for the ball.

Corey hits both FTs and the Clips get the ball back. After the inbound, Corey picks up a Knight miss under the basket and goes back up with it – and seems to get fouled, but it isn't called.Bynum ends up with the ball, but Maggette pokes it away and it ends up in Kaman's hands – so credit Corey with a steal.

[2-5] FG, [1-1] 3PA, [6-6] FT, 11 PTS

[2:45]The Lakers have mercifully taken Lamar Odom off Corey and assigned Trevor Ariza instead.Same set as before – Kaman steps up top to set a screen on Corey's defender [Ariza].This time, Ariza fights through the screen – but Corey still has a step on him as he drives right along the sideline.As Corey reaches the painted area, Odom comes over to help.But it's too late: Corey is already finishing his strong, strong drive.

[3-6] FG, [1-1] 3PA, [6-6] FT, 13 PTS

[2:21]Odom is back on Maggette, who starts the possession down low.Corey tries to curl up from the baseline, but Odom's ass knocks Corey off-balance directly in front of Violet Palmer.Corey sells it well.The Clips are in the bonus.

Corey hits one of two FTAs.

[3-6] FG, [1-1] 3PA, [7-8] FT, 14 PTS

[0:59]Two possessions prior, Corey gets it up top and drives down the gut of the lane, beating Ariza there.Odom steps up to take a charge, but Corey skirts to the right of Lamar, but just misses the layup.

Here, Corey starts left side.Again he's against Ariza and, again, Corey gets an explosive first step against him.Corey dribbles right, then – again -- down the gut of the lane where Odom steps up to take a charge.This time, Corey decides to stop on a dime before drawing contact.He elevates straight up – like, it's incredible, three feet off the ground.He leans in a little – enough to maybe draw contact, but not so much that he disrupts his jump shot.

[4-7] FG, [1-1] 3PA, [7-8] FT, 16 PTS

[0:36]On the other end, Corey skies from the weak side for a rebound.As Corey comes down, Ariza hooks him.The two get their arms tangled.Clear foul on Ariza.

We go to the other end where Corey hits both.

[4-7] FG, [1-1] 3PA, [9-10] FT, 18 PTS

[0:00]Easily the sickest shot of the season.

We'll blithely forget that it was born out of Corey's dribbling the ball off his foot as he begins his iso against Ariza for the final possession of the quarter.*The ball kicks back toward halfcourt.Corey and Ariza are both in pursuit. Corey finally catches up with the ball about eight feet beyond the halfcourt line with under three seconds remaining.Once Corey regains control of the basketball, it's all he can do to heave it like a discus toward the hoop as the horn sounds.

It banks glass and falls through.

[5-8] FG, [2-2] 3PA, [9-10] FT, 21 PTS

* I'm a little confused.If it kicks off of Corey's foot, then it should be a halfcourt violation.And if it kicks off of Ariza's foot, then it's a dead ball and the Clips get it on the side, no?But…no complaints.

The Clippers were a mess defensively out on the perimeter all night.The Lakers' spacing is far too good not to take advantage of the slightest brainfart – and the Clippers were prolifically flatulent all night.Thornton is still lost on rotations; Frahm hasn't learned them yet.And Dickau doesn't have the ability to bother the ball.Meanwhile, Knight has lost a step – and quickness was his only attribute defensively given his size.On top of that, the double-teams were tentative and slow and Davis, I'm afraid, is strictly a hacker.He might learn how to defend an NBA rim, but hasn't yet.

Posted Wednesday, October 29 at 3:20PM

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Comments

Corey sure can go from pretty bad to amazing faster than just about anyone you have ever seen. I love Corey but he can be frustrating at times. I keep thinking he could be so much better if he was just a little less nonchalant with the ball. He's really the only reason to watch the Clippers at this point. Phil Jackson put Kobe on him in the 4th to slow him down but the game was over in the first few minutes of the 4th anyway. Jackson has high regard for Corey, you could hear it in the post game comments.

I listened to the Laker broadcast this game, and I hate to say it but it was more pleasant than listening to the Clips announcers. The Lakers announcers, being the Lakers announcers, are not beholden to the Clipper (Dunleavy) line like Ralph and Mike. I didn't have to hear even once how great Q Ross is. hahahaha

I was at the game last night so didnt have the pleasure of watching on TV, but wow... the Clippers were awful.

Even though corey had a great game overall, the SAME boneheaded plays happened. It's even more annoying in person. What made me chuckle the most was the "WHAT? ME?" call on Corey. If he doesnt know it after 8 years in the league, it's in every opposing team's scouting report that you can pencil Corey in for 2 charges and 3 yelps (looking to draw fouls) per game.... this is ESPECIALLY true in critical situations. Listen, he had a nice game, but i still hate his low basketball iq, however you choose to measure it.
I was actually sitting behind Clipper Darryl.... I cant believe he has the cojones to go out in public dressed up like that. It's one thing to be a fan...another to be a fruitcake. I had my clippers t-shirt on, and I cheered when the Clippers did something i deemed cheer-worthy. For a grown man to dress up in the clown suit and go out in public like that is ridiculous. This aint Holloween mofo!
He should retire that thing till the clippers make the playoffs again.

Yeah, just as the Clippers have closed the gap to 6 points (start of the 4th), it's the perfect time to play Josh Powell, Frahm, and Dickau together. I'm shocked we didn't go up by 20 points with that unit on the floor.

Injuries or not, this was the most bone-headed move on Dunleavy's part all season. His rotations and line-ups are stunningly ill-conceived. Powell has hardly played all season, so why stick him in at the most pivotal point of the game???

Even my dog put her paws over her eyes and she knows very little about basketball.

I think Thornton got his 4th foul in the 4th. But what was wrong with Aaron Williams that he couldn't sub for Davis? Was there no alternative for taking the plastic off Powell at such a crucial point of the game?

Regardless, if Dunleavy has to go that deep into the bench, rotate them in with the better players. Don't play Frahm, Powell and Dickau at the same time. EVER. That leaves us at a disadvantage offensively and defensively.

Ralph called the All-Star break "The Vlade Radmanovic Snowboarding Break."

Clippers announcers are homers too. You can't seriously deny that! I would have agreed with the prevailing sentiment regarding Stu and Joel Meyers last year, but I changed my position after listening to them this last time. Ralph is OK, but Mike Smith is almost as unbearable as the NBA cheerleader Huby Brown. All Smith does is talk up certain opposing players and annoy with his personal stories. He does not add any analysis or insight into the game like a good color man should. It was interesting to listen to the Laker's announcers because they are looking at the Clippers from the outside and have a totally different take on the players than what you hear from the Ralph and Mike/Dunleavy line. In other words, not a mention of Mobley and Ross.

Let me ask a serious question. I think this one gets to the heart of the Mike Dunleavy poor approach to coaching and personnel decisions. If you put Ross on a guy, a good scorer let's say, and the good scorer scores 22 instead of 26 (I really don't believe that Ross has that much of an impact but let's just assume Ross slows the guy a little) and having Ross in the game allows the other team to play 5 on 4 on defense is this an overall useful coaching manuever? I don't think so.

The bottom line is putting more points on the board than your opponent, and if you are only getting 4 points per game out of your "defensive stopper," than the tradeoff is clearly not worth it. What I am saying is put Thornton out there. So his man (or Maggette's man or someone else's man) gets a few more than with Ross out there -- MAYBE -- but you have another scorer out there. And, the guy needs steady minutes to develop confidence. It's all about confidence and knowing that you are going to get you time and shots every game.

Is this team cursed? On paper, this is a very good team if everyone is healthy.
On another note, why does the Clippers make so many careless mistakes, and shoot bad shots (Mobley is a ball hog!!! Stop shooting if your having a bad game!!!I hate you!!!AHHHHH!!!!!)? They should be better than this since they are the 3rd oldest team in the league.
Man oh man, this team makes you taste a lil bit of victory and gives you hope(05-06 season) only to put you back down again.